02Apr 2012 by Nigel Ring

Pioneering

Church Planting, Cross-culture, Mexico, News, Serbia
Recently I had the pleasure of being invited to join a Forum led by Mike Betts which gathered church leaders involved in UK, the European continent, Mexico and Kenya. In each session news was shared from particular locations and my notes hint at some of the interesting, diverse and challenging situations in which people in Newfrontiers churches find themselves. Here are some extracts from my jottings: Mexico Bruce and Denise went to Mexico soon after the beginning of the new millennium. Initially they went to work with the street children in Guadalajara through the Oasis en-Gadi ministry. After 4 years contacting boys on the streets they began church planting in a poor area where the main source of income was brick making. Generally there was very bad health due to…
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12Jul 2011 by Nigel Ring

Apostolic Administration Forum

Administrative Skills, Biblical Administration, Conference Administration, Cross-culture, Equipping, Finance, International, Newfrontiers, News, Planning, Time Management, Together on a Mission
We are approaching a major transition in the family of churches we call Newfrontiers. As we continue to grow God has shown us that we need to become a network of apostolic spheres (as in the New Testament) rather than be centred predominantly on one person, Terry Virgo, the father of Newfrontiers. In February God spoke to me that I should gather some of those who will be helping administrate these spheres in a practical way, supporting those with apostolic gifting. And so it was my joy to gather nearly 20 men and women for three days at a Forum during the week preceding the Newfrontiers Together on a Mission Conference in Brighton, which begins today, July 12th. Cross cultural exchange The atmosphere of the Forum was ‘everyone a teacher everyone…
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25Apr 2011 by Nigel Ring

Resistance Fighter – Book Recommendation

Books, Christian ministry, Cross-culture, HIV, International, News, Poor, Zimbabwe
Resistance Fighter has just been published and is a read-at-one-sitting book. For me it turned the tedium of a flight from UK to West Africa into an enjoyable, challenging, emotional and disturbing experience as Susie Howe took me from the joys of playing with lively orphaned children in Zimbabwe to the horrors of learning of children accused of witchcraft in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Susie's autobiographical record of her life (how much she has packed in already!) recounts how she has sought to walk close to God in obedience as He has taken her and her husband Jeremy on a number of unexpected excursions into situations that most of us have never experienced nor even dreamed existed. Starting with her childhood she tells of growing up as a talented…
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24Nov 2010 by Nigel Ring

When Helping Hurts – Part 3 – Practical Strategies for helping without hurting

Christian ministry, Cross-culture, Equipping, Good Practice, International, News, Poor, Relief and Development, To the Nations
Concluding the review of this excellent book we shall now look at one very practical application. Short term mission teams. Like the story of the elephant and the mouse dancing together at a celebration - both benefit and enjoy it until the mouse is squashed - such can also be the effect of a short-term mission team. Who is really benefitting? Perhaps neither. The team have a ‘life changing experience' - but may learn the wrong things. The hosts can feel crushed. At the root of the problem is lack of sensitivity to others' cultures eg "Mine is the plumbline so any deviation is ‘wrong'". Consider time. In the ‘west' time = productivity; the emphasis is on good stewardship and using every minute productively. In the majority world there is…
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10Nov 2010 by Nigel Ring

When Helping Hurts – Part 2 – General Principles for helping without hurting.

Christian ministry, Cross-culture, Equipping, Good Practice, News, Poor, Relief and Development, To the Nations, Training
Continuing this somewhat protracted commentary on the strongly recommended book, When Helping Hurts, we will now see what the authors say about Principles that need to be followed to avoid causing damage to those who are in need. Relief, Rehabilitation and Development First, it is important to distinguish between Relief, Rehabilitation and Development. In true crisis (e.g. tsunami) people cannot help themselves and need Relief. After the crisis there is Rehabilitation when people can start to help themselves but need others alongside Development is about empowering, the point at which great discretion is needed - ‘handouts' can be very damaging, especially if the reason for needing help is of a person's own making e.g. through irresponsible living such as alcohol abuse. Cultural sensitivity At all times we must be careful…
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05Nov 2010 by Nigel Ring

‘When helping hurts’ pt 1 – Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert

Christian ministry, Cross-culture, Equipping, Finance, Good Practice, International, News, Poor
Foundational Concepts for helping without hurting. In this excellent book - a ‘must read' for all who are involved in helping people who are poor or disadvantaged - the authors look critically at both the issues of poverty and how it is defined, and at the typical response of very well meaning individuals and agents of society that may in fact be doing more harm than good. This is a book that will challenge the accuracy of notions you may currently hold - ‘is my desire to do good actually doing harm?' It applies both to ministry within your community and to international development ie how to relate across cultures. Each chapter begins with questions for you to answer which reveal your present stance and ends with questions to review.…
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